The daily herald. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1886-1887, 1887-03-09
LECTURE ON spIRITuALIsM.


- w. Di''e' Nv opOdhti tOOk %
bis text Isaiah S:ro, 20. After briefly
commenting upon it, he made a strong
point on the Bible as the standard Of
appeal on all questions of faith, baslng
his argument on Timothy $40, II.
He then said that it was not his object
to combat individuals He purposed
to examine the "ism" and not the 'ist,"
in the light Of the Bible.
We often hear it said that Spiritual
ism is unworthy of notice; that it is
only silly delusion, Of little conse-
quence. This is a grave error The
belief in the doctrines of Spiritualism
is making more converts every year
than all the churches together. Its
devotees are among the most intelli-
gent and cultivated people in our
midst A belief that could sweep over
the world as this has done, and in
less than forty years number among rs
adherents judges, journalists, legisla.
tors, members of Congress, and clergy
men, is surely no humbug or triaing
affair 1t first appeared in the village
of Hydesville, near Rochester, N. Y,
in rS4S, in the simple manifestations
soon known to the world as the
Rochester Knockings;" 1t has ampli-
fed its methods Of communication,
and spread to all the nations Of the
earth, and now numbers its converts by
millions.
In our Investigation, we shall com
pare the faith, as set forth by its most
able witness, with the standard of ap.
peal--the Bible DIR. Hare says: "The
Old Testament does not impart
knowledge Of Immortality, without
which religion were worthless. The
notions derived from the gospel are
vague, disgusting, inaccurate, and diff
cult to believe. Spin. Sci. Dem, D.
aoo. Mr.. Curtis read several other
statements from the Banner Of Light"
giving the date of the issue and bear.
ing upon this same point Hence we
are forced to the conclusion that they
deny the Bible. Christ, says "Search
the Scriptures; for in them ye think ye
have eternal life" John $40 After
commenting on the above, he said our
text speaks Of spirits that peep and that
mutter. Let us examine the spirit
account Of creation. The Bible account
they say is unintelligibe. [Speaker
read Genesis Ills. Under the i'm
posing head OF. disclosures from the
INTERIOR" in the Mountain Cave
Journal" 1853, by I. l.. Harris, a
spiritualist author and medium, we
have the following: "In the beginning
God, the life in God, the lord in God,
the holy procedure, inhabited the
dome, which, burning in magnidcence
primeval, and revolving in prismatic
ana undulatory spiral appeared, aud
was the pavilion OF the spirit in glory
inexhaustible and inconceivable in
movement spherical, unfolded in har.
rnonious procedure disclosive." "And
God said, let mechanical redeemer bel
and movement rhythmical, harmonical,
melodial, unfolded from the armament
"This is the
God Of nature, not uncreated or self
originated, but created, not the pro-
gresssive, upgrowing, upheaving, up.
mentalizing, upspiritualizing, unpreach-
ing struggle Of germ; but condescen-
sion infinite, creation voluntary, and
bestowment merciful, Of the divine
CREATOR to whom be given alteration
Unreasonable and eternal" After com
menting the speaker asked which record
is the most unintellgIble1
The next position taken was that
they deny God. Several extracts were
read on this point, but FOR want of
space we will quote but one. In the
"Cruclble," of April ~, 1871, Mr..
Jameson says; "a personal God
would be a monstrosity. All prayer
addressed to a supposed supreme intel.
lIigence is idolatry. There is not and
cannot be supreme spirit even"
Speaking of the God Of the Jews, Mr..
Jameson describes him as-"An UNI
mitigated tyrant, a despicable muir
derer, worse and meaner than a com
mon cut throat III Yankee should
ever have the i'll luck to get into his
kingdom, he would kick his alabaster
throne to pieces" Mr. Curtis quoted
Psalm s3I. 1t was then shown that
some noted spirtualists even addressed
their prayers to the devil A prayer
offered by Prof W. CLANCY, in San
Jose, Cal, January 80 1874, when
about to engage in discussion with
Elder Grant was read.
| 1t was then shown that they are
skeptical in regard to the atonement
of Christ, also that they oppose mar
riage as it now exists 1t was shown
that spirituaism existed among the
heather nations at the time Israel went
into the land Of promise, and God for,
babe his people having anything to do
with it, See Deuteronomy lS;o-I2,
| N lie claimed nv snritualistS that their